Green Mountain Transit warns of $3 million fiscal cliff; VTrans moves to coordinate rural-service transfer

BURLINGTON, Vt. — Green Mountain Transit (GMT) told the House Transportation Committee on Feb. 25 that it faces a growing budget gap that could force deep service cuts unless state or local revenue is increased or operations are restructured.

GMT General Manager Clayton Clark said GMT supports the administration’s fiscal 2026 budget and thanked the administration for additional funds, but warned of a larger shortfall in fiscal year 2027. “We have a large gap in fiscal year 27 of $3,000,000,” Clark said. He added that losing federal “stick factors” that currently yield about $2 million in extra funding would magnify cuts.

Committee members were shown GMT’s operating and capital picture: an approximate $51,000,000 total budget, roughly $30,000,000 in operating (about $20,000,000 urban and $10,000,000 rural) and about $20,000,000 in capital. GMT reported roughly 2.7 million rides last year, with about 389,000 rural rides. The agency has already approved $700,000 a year in urban service reductions and is projecting a further $500,000 of reductions to take effect in June 2025.

GMT said several changes will begin this spring and summer, including reduced weekday commuter trips (Montpelier link from 11 to seven daily trips) and consolidation of parallel commuter routes between Milton and St. Albans. Clark said GMT will avoid eliminating additional routes with the reduced June target and will instead make schedule and routing adjustments —…